The Ontoloigcal Argument/unit 3

Question 1

What does ‘Ontological’ literally mean?

Answer 1

‘Concerned with being’

Question 2

What does a priori mean?

Answer 2

Is usually a deductive argument as it does not depend upon external validation. The validity of a deductive can be certain before inverstigation. We know before needing evidence

Question 3

What is a deductive argument?

Answer 3

Where the conclusion necessarily follows from the premises- if the premises are true then the conclusion must follow e.g a bachelor is a mARRIES MAN/ geordge is unmarried so is a bachelor

Question 4

What did Anselm mean to create when he created an argument for the existence of God.

Answer 4

A book of prayer

Question 5

What did Anselm attempt to show in his first argument?

Answer 5

The concept of God included the concept of existence

Question 6

What did Anselm argue about when he thought of God?

Answer 6

That he realised he necessity of God’s existence with his thoughts of God.

Question 7

What did the first form of his argument begin with?

Answer 7

A definition of God:

‘a being than which nothing greater can be conceived’

Question 8

What is the first part of Anselm’s form deductive argument?

Answer 8

1) God is the greatest possible being (nothing greater can be conceived)

Question 9

What is the second part of Anselm’s form deductive argument?

Answer 9

2) If God exists in the mind alone (only as an idea) than a greater being could be imagined to exist, both in the mind and realitily

Question 10

What is the third part of Anselm’s formal deductive argument?

Answer 10

3) This being would be greater than God

Question 11

What is the fourth part of Anselm’s f.d argument?

Answer 11

Thus God cannot exist only as an idea in the idea

Question 12

what is the fifth part of Anselm’s f.d argument?

Answer 12

Therefore, God must exist both in the mind, as an idea, and in reality

Question 13

Why did Anselm believe the atheist is a fool?

Answer 13

The fool understands the definition of God but at the same time rejects this concept of God by denying his existence, this is a contradiction

Question 14

What is the difference in God existing in someone’s understanding and saying that one understands (believes) it exists

Answer 14

you have an idea of what that thing is in your understanding (e.g unicorn) but do not believe it exists in one;’s understanding

Question 15

What is reductio ad absurdum?

Answer 15

An absurd conclusion because the conclusion contradicts itself

Question 16

How does Anselm use reduction ad absurdum?

Answer 16

saying that God does not exist in reality is absurd because it is greater to exist in reality than not to, therefore this would go against he definition of God

Question 17

What does Anselm do and prove in his second argument?

Answer 17

He attempts to demonstrate that God has necessary existence because there must be God to God than God just existing

Question 18

What was Anselm’s second part of his argument in response to?

Answer 18

Gaunlio who said his argument was flawed because you could apply it to anything

Question 19

What two types of existence did Anselm believe there were? (pt2)

Answer 19

contingent existence- something that can fail to be and depends on something else to exist/
necessary existence- existence that cannot fail to be

Question 20

Why is it greater to have necessary existence?

Answer 20

You do not rely on something else to be/ you have to exist

Question 21

What conclusion did Anselm come to? (pt2)

Answer 21

Since God is the greatest conceivable being God and necessarily existing is greater, God must necessarily exist

Question 22

How did Descartes conclude his own existence?

Answer 22

Through his ability to think

Question 23

What does Cogito ergo sum mean?

Answer 23

‘I think therefore I am’

Question 24

What did Descartes realise about using this logic to prove the existence of other things?

Answer 24

He could not use the same logic for other things, so went to consider what he could prove existed included a priori things

Question 25

What did Descartes believe about the properties of a triangle?

Answer 25

He knew them without sensory experience

Question 26

Why did he believe that he knew them without sensory experience?

Answer 26

Senses could not derive the triangles properties as clearly and distinctly as he does in his mind

Question 27

What did Descartes’s argument begin with?

Answer 27

a definition of God as the ‘supremely perfect being’

Question 28

How did he relate existence through perfection?

Answer 28

Existence is one of God’s many perfections

Question 29

What did he believe about God’s necessary existence ?

Answer 29

It is contained within our understanding

Question 30

Why could we not develop the idea of God ourselves?

Answer 30

we are imperfect

Question 31

What did Descartes conclude?

Answer 31

Therefore the idea must come from the being itself, threrorer God exists